The Xbox Game Pass lineup for January 2026 doesn’t have as many new games as the service usually has. That’s likely a byproduct of the quiet January release schedule since it’s harder to have new games on the service when there aren’t that many new games, period. Also, a handful of them are already on the higher tier of Game Pass and are just becoming accessible to the middle tier of the service. For example, Rematch and Atomfall both launched on Game Pass Ultimate, but they will now also be on the Premium tier.
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Aside from the visually striking search action game MIO: Memories in Orbit (which is coming out on January 20th), here’s how all of the Xbox Game Pass games for January 2026 stack up against each other.
10) My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery
With a selection of fantastic, more traditional games, it’s hard for something like My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery to stand a chance. This platformer with co-op and mini-games based on the TV show is reminiscent of Outright Games’ other titles in that it is serviceable, mainly aimed at children, and lacks the complexity needed to be enjoyable to more seasoned players.
9) Brews and Bastards
Brews and Bastards is all about booze and killing, but while it may own the former, it’s outclassed in the latter category. Its twin stick shooter gameplay lacks the impact and polish of its contemporaries, and the bland art doesn’t help, either. And to top it all off, the game doesn’t even have a roguelike mode yet, which is strange because it looks like and is set up like a roguelike.
8) Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition takes the 2011 third-person shooter and slaps a new coat of paint on it. The original still, more or less, plays well enough and looks decent, which calls into question the necessity of this remaster, but gunning down or slicing through hordes of Orks is still quite enjoyable thanks to the tanky qualities of the massive protagonist Titus and his devastating chainsword swings. It’s a game of a different era, and that comes with some drawbacks, but it’s also a bit refreshing to play something this linear and finite. A lot of the criticism levied at it came from its hefty price tag (which Sega took steps to address), but being part of Game Pass allows it to sidestep those specific complaints.
7) Final Fantasy
This is where it all began. Final Fantasy, being the first entry, is quite basic, especially when compared to its many sequels. The story isn’t incredibly deep and its battle system is a straightforward turn-based affair. The relative lack of complexity can be hard to overlook, but this version is worth at least a look because of its place in gaming culture. And this remake thankfully has an experience multiplier (which lessens the amount of necessary grinding) the ability to switch off random encounters that help modernize the experience.
6) Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition
Little Nightmares established itself as a big name in the cinematic platformer genre with its eerie worlds. And even though it has had two sequels since that have expanded upon its formula, this debut entry is still a great experience. The trial-and-error gameplay can wear thin at times and its aforementioned successors are more polished and intricate, but that doesn’t completely devalue how effective the unsettling atmosphere is. This enhanced version also looks and runs a bit better, which helps it hold up.
5) Atomfall
Judging by its title and first-person perspective, Atomfall looks like it would be Rebellion’s take on Fallout, and that’s somewhat correct. There is a lot of wandering around a partially destroyed wasteland, after all. However, Atomfall is a lot more of a survival game that lets players explore more freely. Instead of dotting the map with question marks, Atomfall relies on players intuitively poking around and following up on leads they read about and overhear, which is quite satisfying. Gathering resources makes these journeys even more tense since players have to weigh what they carry and how they manage their inventory. Some of the combat and stealth may be a bit on the thin side, but exploring is still solid enough to make up for its weaker parts.
4) Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is a typical Ubisoft open-world game in many respects. It is relatively unsurprising, has a pretty weak story that says nothing, and contains a predictable mix of traversal, stealth, and action gameplay. The safety of these aspects holds the game back a little, but it mostly succeeds overall for how well it realizes the smuggler fantasy the series has been missing in the gaming space. Meddling in cantinas and sneaking through a rival syndicate’s base gives this game a flair it wouldn’t otherwise have. Thankfully, Ubisoft spent months improving the core gameplay so that this fantasy was able to shine more brightly.
3) Lost in Random: The Eternal Die
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die has little in common with the previous installment, as it is in a different genre and from a different developer. But that doesn’t make it a lesser title. This Hades-like game has fast and fluid melee combat with a bunch of modifiers thrown in for good measure. It brings in aspects of the original like dice rolls and the signature Tim Burton-esque art style, but it sees success in the ways it branches out from its predecessor. It is outclassed by Hades, its sequel, and other genre heavyweights, yet it doesn’t need to be the best to be a worthwhile time.
2) Rematch
2025 had more than a few soccer games with Despelote, Football Heroes League, and EA Sports FC 26, but Rematch was the best of the bunch. Developer Sloclap’s history with action games paid off in this game, as that expertise makes Rematch feel incredible and more tactile. While it’s easy to understand during the first kickoff, it requires actual mechanical skill that’s satisfying to build up over time. Passing correctly and knowing how to shoot accurately is like learning a long fighting game combo; it takes time but they journey is worth it in the end. Sloclap has been tweaking things here and there and these changes have made the game deeper, but it’s got an incredible action game-like core that makes it one of the better sports games in recent memory.
1) Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village is a wonderful hybrid of the best Resident Evil elements. It has the tense stalker gameplay reminiscent of the Resident Evil 2 remake and 7, action-focused segments like Resident Evil 4, and outright horror like the 1996 original. All three philosophies have their own biome, which allows for refreshing changes of tempo and a fantastic overall pace. When wrapped up in a surprisingly decent story and some of the best realistic visuals Capcom has ever produced, it becomes easy to see how Village is one of the stronger entries in one of gaming’s most prestigious franchises.
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